Lee-Soo's father had been Jung-Sik's business partner for over 15 years until his death, after which Lee-Soo took over the partnership. It wasn't just a business relationship—Jung-Sik had grown to love Lee-Soo, treating him like the son he never got to raise. He confided in him deeply.
The night Jung-Sik discovered the painful truth—that the three-year-old girl he once denied was actually his biological daughter, Kiera—he called Lee-Soo, crying.
"I don't have any real friend or trustworthy partner except you, so please let me get this off my chest. I found out… the girl I denied is my real daughter. It hurts so much. My family—my own father—betrayed me. He planned the whole thing. My ex-wife probably agreed under his threats. What do I do?!"
That night, Lee-Soo, only 23 at the time, drove to Jung-Sik's home. He was shaken by the man's vulnerability. He had advised him to go see his daughter, but Jung-Sik never said how it went.
Now, sitting across from Kiera—who had no idea—Lee-Soo looked at her and asked, "Are you okay?"
Kiera, catching the change in his tone, raised an eyebrow. After a little whisper from Eun-Sang, Lee-Soo's demeanor had transformed. She chuckled, "What? Did you just discover I'm the president's daughter or something?"
Lee-Soo sighed, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes.
Kiera blinked. What just happened? The same guy who mocked her for snoring was now asking about her well-being?
She turned to Eun-Sang and snapped her fingers. "Hey, what happened to him? Is he bipolar or something?"
Eun-Sang laughed, "Nope. Just... enlightened. Nice to meet you, by the way. I'm Eun-Sang."
"Kiera," she replied. "You're Korean, right?"
"Yeah, though I don't really live there. What about you? You look... mixed."
Kiera shrugged. "Nope, I'm American. I live in the States with my parents. I'm here to see a friend."
Eun-Sang sensed something in her shaky voice but chose not to pry.
He was about to say more when—
"Can you two shut up? I'm trying to sleep," Lee-Soo grumbled.
The two burst out laughing. Eventually, the food Kiera ordered arrived, and she ate in silence, occasionally glancing at Lee-Soo.
At the Airport,
"Kiera! We've arrived in Seoul," Eun-Sang said, tapping her gently.
"She didn't snore this time—miracle," Lee-Soo muttered with a chuckle.
Kiera didn't respond. Her heart was pounding. The man who had abandoned her and made her mother cry for years… she was about to face him.
"Nice meeting you both," she said flatly, shouldering her backpack.
Lee-Soo frowned, noticing her shift in mood. Normally, he wouldn't care—but something told him she was here to see Jung-Sik. Without thinking, he handed his luggage to Eun-Sang and chased after her.
"Kiera!" he called.
She didn't hear him. She was lost in thought, walking straight into the path of oncoming luggage carts.
"Sug-nyeo! Gil-yeul bikyeola!" a worker yelled.
Before the carts hit, a hand yanked her out of the way.
"Joesonghabnida," Lee-Soo apologized to the worker.
Then he turned to her, furious. "What were you thinking?! You could've gotten hurt!"
"You don't get to yell at me!" Kiera snapped.
"I just saved your life!"
"I didn't ask you to!"
She stormed away, leaving him stunned.
"Aunty!!" Kiera's face lit up when she saw Kyung.
They hugged tight.
At the hotel, Kiera admired the room. "Wow. You must've spent a lot. You could've bought a house."
"It was free," Kyung said.
Kiera raised a brow. "You got a rich boyfriend?"
Kyung chuckled. "No! Your father owns this hotel. He gave me a room."
Kiera dropped the cup she was holding. "You're dating my father?!"
"What? No! He just gave me the room—he's not my type."
Kiera sighed. "Sorry. I overreacted."
Kyung smiled. "You're tired. Wash up, I'll order food. After you eat, we'll go sightseeing."
"No view in this country will feel beautiful to me," Kiera whispered to herself, "not when the people here ruined my mother."
Still, she nodded.
In the Room,
As she toweled her hair, she asked, "What happened to him?"
Kyung's face fell. "He was in an accident. A hit-and-run. The driver vanished. Your father's liver and olfactory lobes were severely damaged."
Kiera's eyes softened. "He'll be fine. I need to shower."
Kyung ordered food. "Dul geuleus ui ramyeon," she told the restaurant.
Then her phone rang. It was Carolyn.
"She's here. Taking a shower," Kyung assured her.
Jack's voice echoed on the line. Kyung smiled and hung up before the couple's bickering could start.
"That Jack?" Kiera asked.
"Yep. Come here, let me dry your hair."
Kyung smiled as she ran the blow-dryer through Kiera's curls. "Your hair's still so soft."
"I know. But don't tell mom I said you were the best," Kiera teased.
They laughed.
Then Kyung turned serious. "Kiera... I'm glad you came. I know what it's like to grow up without a father. Mine denied me too. He kicked my mom and me out. I was five. I never saw him again."
She paused. "I lost him last week. Never got to ask why he left. Don't make the same mistake. Give your father a chance."
Kiera held her hand. "Then cry, Kyung. It's okay."
Kyung burst into tears. Kiera held her and prayed silently, "God, please save my dad. I need to talk to him."
Later That Night,
After their meal, Kiera stretched. "I'm full. Let's look around. I napped a lot on the plane."
Kyung smiled. "Energetic, huh? Okay! I was thinking we'd—wait." Her eyes narrowed.
"At the airport… that guy who grabbed you. He looked familiar. Do you know who he was?"
Kiera shrugged. "Oh! That was Lee-Soo. He saved me from a cart."
"LEE-SOO? The CEO of The Apex? He owns shares in your dad's company!"
"You know your father runs two companies, right? He's the founder of Cloud Nine Company and the CEO of The Emerald Group. That's why his brother envies him a lot," Kyung whispered to Kiera.
"Kyung, calm down," Kiera replied with a hint of frustration. "Lee-Soo might be a big shot, but he's rude and doesn't care about people's feelings. And as for my so-called dad, I don't care what he owns. I'm not interested in any of that."
Later that evening, Kyung took Kiera to the Namsan Seoul Tower. She wanted Kiera to see South Korea beyond the bitter image she had painted in her mind.
They visited the third-floor observatory, where Kiera saw a breathtaking view of the city. A display on an LCD screen told a brief story of Korean history.
"Woah! Kyung, this is awesome!" Kiera exclaimed, laughing.
They reached a part of the building with a wishing pond where people tossed coins and made silent prayers. Kyung picked up a coin and handed it to Kiera.
"I know it might sound foolish," she said gently, "but wishes do come true. So, go on—toss this coin and make a wish."